Idiomatic expressions with belly

Here is a list of idiomatic expressions using the word belly.

A growing youth has a wolf in his belly.

This is a proverb. It means that people who are growing up are hungry all the time.

Air one’s belly

To air one’s belly is to vomit.

• The boy was airing his belly for most of the night and consequently he was taken to the hospital.

Belly up

When you are belly up, you are intoxicated.

• He was belly up. He must have had a few drinks.

When a business is belly up, it is bankrupt.

• Now that the company is belly up, its employees are desperately searching for jobs.

Have a yellow belly

To have a yellow belly is to act cowardly.

• Mike has a yellow belly. He is afraid to spend time alone in his house.

Turn / go belly up

To turn belly up is to fail.

• I always suspected that the scheme would go belly up and it did.

To belly up is to die.

• Every fish in my tank went belly up yesterday.

Somebody’s eyes are bigger than their belly/stomach

This is a humorous expression. It is used to suggest that someone has taken more food than they can eat.

• I can’t finish this steak. I guess my eyes were bigger than my belly as usual.

A belly laugh

A belly laugh is a loud laugh that you simply can’t control.

• The boy’s antics were so amusing that he gave me a real belly laugh.

Fire in your belly

When you have fire in your belly, you are ready to fight with determination.

• I am sure he will win his case. He has plenty of fire in his belly.